Permutation-lock.



B. S. BURNETT.

PERMUTATION LOCK` APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1` 1914.

Patented A111220, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BUELL S. BURNETT, 0F JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

:PERMUTATIoN-Locx.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application led .Tune 1, 1914. Serial No. 842,192.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, BunLL S. BURNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duvaland State of Florida,have invented new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks, of whichthe following is a specification.

Y The present invention relates to permutation locks, and it proposescertain hereinafter-described improvements in, or in connection with,the construction, arrangement and mounting of the tumblers and their'operating means or devices, whereby the lock as a whole is materiallysimplified, with a corresponding reduction in cost of manufacture, themanipulation of the tumblers is facilitated and, at the same time,reduced to a minimum, and the range of adjustment or change in thecombination increased to a very considerable extent.

Also, the invention contemplates an improved lock, having theafore-mentioned features, whichis capable of more or less general use,instead of being restricted to one or more specific applications.

An embodiment of the invention is illustratedin the accompanyingdrawing, where- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lock; Figs. 2 and 3are rear elevations, with the back plate omitted and showing the bolt inprojected and retracted positions, respectively; Figs. 4L and 5 aretransverse sections taken at right angles to `each other, on lineslf--ll and 5 5, Fig. 3, respectively;`Fig. 6 is a composite perspectiveview, showing the various elements of the lock; Figs. 7 and 8 are frontand rear elevations, respectively, showing alternative constructions;and Fig. 9 is a part-sectional side elevation, showing a furthermodification.

Referring more particularly to said drawing, 10 indicates the case ofthe lock, and 11 and 12 the front and back plates, respectively. Theseparts may have any desired size and shape, and are here shown ascircular, the part 10 having formed therethrough an opening or passage18 for the sliding bolt 14. The front'plate 11 and the case areintegrally connected, and the former is located some distance behind thefront edge of the said case,l so as to coact therewith in producing acircumferential seat or shoulder 15 for the reception of the edge of therotatable dial-plate 16, which latter is disposed against the face ofplate ll and is provided with a central hub or stem 17 that projectsinwardly through an opening 18 in that plate. The rear portion of thecase is recessed to produce a similar, circumferential seat or shoulder19, which receives the edge of the back plate, that plate beingremovably secured in place by screws 20 or other suitable fasteners. Theedges of the two plates 12 and 16 fit closely against the outer orperipheral walls of their respective seats 19 and 15, and since theopening 18 in the plate 11 is completely covered by the dial, insertionof a tool from the front of the lockthrough said opening for the purposeof manipulating the hereinafter-described tumblers is renderedimpossible.

The afore-mentioned bolt 14: is preferably provided upon its rear face,at the outer end thereof, with a short, longitudinal lug 21, while itsinner` portion is slidably fitted in a guide opening 22 formed in anannular boss 23 and is recessed or cut away in order to avoidinterference with the dial stem 17, the said boss being formed withinthe interior of the case and having its inner peripheral wall coincidingwith that of the opening 18. The said bolt is further provided upon itsrear face with a central, triangular lug 24, and it is normally held inretracted position through the agency of a spiral spring 25 whichencircles boss 23 and is disposed in the space between the latter and anannular seat or shoulder 26, one end of said spring being connected tothe bolt, and the other end to the wall of said seat.

VIn the construction illustrated, which, for present purposes, may beconsidered as preferred, three tumblers 27, 28 and 29 are employed,these tumblers being subsequently referred to in the order in which theyare manipulated during the unlocking operation. The first and secondtumblers 27 and 28 are in the form of flat metal rings, as shown in Fig.6, which are provided at their outer edges with notches 80 and 31, andat suitable points on their inner edges with pairs of lateral lingers 82and 33, the fingers 82 on tumbler 27 projecting radially inward, whilethe fingers 33 on tumbler 28 are so bent as to project rst inwardly andthen rearwardly. The third or last tumbler 29 is constituted by a flatdisk formed with an inwardly-extending V-shaped peripheral notch 34 and,upon its rear face, with a pair pf fingers 35 whh extend beyond theperiphery of the disk and are designed for engagement with the lingers33 on tumbler 28, as hereinafter explained. The diameter of the tumbler29 is su'iiciently small to enable it to be encircled, so to speak, bythe annular tumblers, as shown in Figs. 2k and 3.

In assembling the parts, the edge of the tumbler 27 is, first ofall,itted in or against the seat or shoulder 26 in the case, with itsnotch 30 in position to receive therein the inner end of the bolt lug21, after which there is snugly fitted in a second annular seat orshoulder 36 formed in said case a 'metal retaining ring 37 of anglesection, hav- .ing a notch 38 through which said lug likeavise extends,the inner or rear wing of this ring projectingV across the adjacent face'of ytumbler 27. The saidV ring itself thus constitutes a seat whichreceives the edge of the tumbler 28, the latter being so arranged`position to receive the triangular lug 24 onY the bolt, this tumblerlikewise being provided with an annular stem 39, which is formed uponvits inner face concentric with a central opening 40, the wall of whichcoincides with the inner stem wall. The two stems 17 andV 39 haveexactly the same external and internal diameters, and, in consequence ofthis fact, will accurately aline- ,with each other, to admit of theirbeing connected together by a short 4screw 41 which is inserted throughthe opening 40 and stem 39 into the interior or bore of stem 17, butwhereas the inner wall of the latter stem is threaded for engagementwith the threads of the screw, the corresponding wall of the tumblerstem is plain yor uncut, so as to permit the necessary rotation of thetumbler relative to the screw, the head of the said screw overlappingsaid tumbler. To prevent relative movementv between said stems, the endfaces of the same are formed with interlocking clutch teeth 42 and 43which engagein the usual manner.

The setting of the tumblers is effected byl manipulation of therotatable dial plate 16, as will be understood, and to facilitate suchaction, the said plate may be provided-either with a central knob orhandle 44, or with depressions 45 for receiving the tips of the fingers,or with both; (see Figs. 1 and 7 The outer face of this plate isgraduated in the usual manner, as shown in said figures, and the frontwall ofthe case is provided with a suitable indicating point 46, withwhich the graduations are adapted to interchangeably aline.

'In operating the lock,'assumingthat the or V-shaped lug 24 on said boltand will thus force the latter outwardly of the opening 13 in the case,while the outer lug 21 will,.in like manner, be withdrawn from thenotches 30 and 31 in the tumblers 27 vand 28, and,

also, from the notch 38 in the retaining ring Y 37. As the dial and thetumbler 29 continue I their rotary movement, the vends of the lingers 35are ultimately causedV to engage the depending fingers 33 on the secondtumbler 28, whereupon the latter is likewise caused to rotate, its notch31 being thus moved out of alinement with lug 21. Fur

ther rotation of said'parts will finally bring the terminals Vof fingers33 into engagement withV the lingers 32 on tumbler 27, which,

in turn, will be caused to rotate and to move its notch 30 out ofYalinement with lug 21. The bolt will then be maintained in its projectedposition, and cannot be retracted until the notches 30, 31 and 34 areagain broughtfinto alinement with their respective projections. Toeifectthe withdrawal of the bolt, lassuming that a definite combinationhasbeen determinedupon, the operationis, of course, the reverse of thatjust described, and is, in brief,as follows :-The

dial is first rotated, either to the right or to the left, according asthe particularcombination calls for, until the ligure thereoncorresponding to the first figure of the combination is opposite theindicating point 46. This rotation is transmitted'from the dial directlyto the tumbler 29, and thence, successively, to the tumblers 28 and 27,the

time the notch '31in tumbler 28 is broughtV into alinement with lug 21and, consequently, into registration with notches 30 and 38, the tumbler27V first set remaining stationary owing-to the-fact that the fingers33-move away from, instead Vof toward, the fingers 32, due to thereversed vdirection of rotation. Finally, the dial is again rotated inthe same direction as during its initial actuation, un-v til the figurethereon corresponding tothe third and last ligure of the combinationalines with the indicatingV point, thereby bringing the notch 34 intumbler 29 opposite the inner projection 24 on the bolt, whereupon thesaid bolt is automatically forced inward bythe action of its spring 25,the tumbler fingers 35 releasing the fingers 33 on tumbler 28 andleaving the latter idle.

Owing to the provision of the coacting series of clutch teeth 42 and 43on the parts 17 and 39, it will be apparent that the dial and themaintumbler 29 are securely coupled together when screw 41 is tightened,so that during the continuance of any given combination, they occupyrelatively fixed positions. On the other hand, such positions may bevaried at will by simply loosening the screw and moving either of thetwo parts relatively to the other, the screw being thereafterre-tightened in order toeffect the coupling. Each change in therelativevpositions will, however, necessitate a new combination, as willbe obvious, and since the number of such changes depends upon the numberof clutch teeth, by making the said teeth narrow and disposing themclose together an extremely wide range of adjustment is obtained, andthe combination may be changed as often as desired, without danger ofrepeating. lf, however, it is considered advisable, for anjT reason, tomake use of a single fixed or. unchanging combination, the adjustableand detachable connection between the operating tumbler and the dial maybe replaced by a permanent connection, such as shown in Fig. 9, whereinthe stem 17 of the said dial is solid, instead of hollow, and thetumbler 29', which is perfectly flat, is riveted directly against thestem end.

lhile a single bolt is ordinarily sufhcient for all practical purposes,the lock may be readily converted into a two-bolt construction, ifdesired, without requiring the use of more than a single additionalelement, or necessitating any change in the operation, which remains thesame as before, and in such case the connection between the operatingtumbler and the dial maybe either fixed, or adjustable and detachable,according as a single permanent combination or a changeable combinationis to be utilized. A construction of this character is represented in Fig. S, in which a second bolt 14', in all essential respects thecounterpart of bolt 14 is arranged diametrically opposite that bolt, itsouter and inner lugs 21 and 24 coperating with notches in the tumblerslocated diametrically opposite the previously-described notches thereinand being substantial counterparts of the same, such of the duplicatedparts or features as appear in the figure specified being indicated bythe same numerals, equipped with the prime mark, as are applied to thecorresponding first-described parts or features. The same combinationwill, therefore, release both bolts, but to insure .lug 21 entering onlythe notches for which it was intended, it and its coperative notches 30and 31 are made larger than the lug 21 and the notches 30 and 31, asshown.

In all forms of the invention it is to be noted that during manipulationof the dial the V-shaped or triangular lug 24 on the bolt is designed totravel along the peripheral edge of the central or disk tumbler 29,thereby preventing the outer lug 21 on the bolt from entering thenotches in the ring tumblers, or either of them, until the setting ofthe tumblers has been completed. In this way, it is impossible for theoperator to feel the notches in the tumblers when the notches arebrought opposite the lug 21, so that no assistance is thus given to anunauthorized or improper manipulation of the lock to open the same.

I claim 1. In a permutation lock, the combination, with a case, and abolt slidably mounted therein and provided with lateral projections; ofa pair of rotatable, annular tumblers arranged within said case injuxtaposed, concentric relation; a rotatable disk tumbler encircled bythe annular tumblers, each of said tumblers having a peripheral notchadapted to receive the adjacent projection; an operating element rigidlyconnected with the disk tumbler and free of connection with the annulartumblers; and co- 9 acting means provided upon said tumblers fortransmitting rotary movement from one t0 another.

2. In a permutation lock, the combination, with a case, and a boltslidably mounted therein and provided with outer and inner lateralprojections; of a plurality of rotatable tumblers arranged within saidcase and having each a peripheral notch adapted to be brought intoalinement with the outer projection; a smaller, rotatable tumblerarranged within said case in juxtaposition to the first-named tumblersand having a peripheral notch adapted to be brought into alinement withthe inner projection; an operating element rigidly connected with thelast-named tumbler; and coacting means provided upon said tumblers fortransmitting rotary movement from one to another.

3. A permutation lock comprising a case; a bolt slidably mountedtherein; a plurality of tumblers controlling the movement of said bolt,one of said tumblers being provided with an annular series of teeth;cooperating means provided upon said tumblers for transmitting movementfrom one to another; an operating element having an annular series ofteeth for adjustable engagement with the first-named series; and amember detachably coupling said operating element and toothed tumblertogether.

4. A permutation lock comprising a case; a bolt slidably mountedtherein; a plurality of tumblers controlling the movement of said bolt,one .of tumblers being provided With an aXial stem formed at its freeend With a series of teeth; cooperating means provided upon saidtumblers `for transmitting movement from one to another; a rotaryoperating element provided upon itsinner face With a stem coaxial withthe irst-named stem and having the free end thereof formed With a seriesof teeth adjustably engaged with the first-named teeth; and a memberdetachably engaged With said stems for coupling said operating elementand toothed tumbler together. Y

5. In a permutation lock, the combination,

with a case, and a bolt slidably mounted therein and provided withlateral projections; of a pair of rotatable tumblers arranged Within thecase and provided, each, With a pair of opposed lingers, the fingers onone tumbler being bent at right angles to those of the other tumbler, toengage the same during the rotation of the first-named tumbler; atumbler having a pair of radially projecting fingers adapted to engagethe fingers on said first-named tumbler, to rotate the same, saidtumblers being provided with notches for the reception of saidprojections; and a rotatable operating element connected to thelast-named tumbler.

other tumbler, to engage the same during Y' the rotation of thefirst-named tumbler; a rota-table disk tumbler encircled` by "said ofradially-projecting fingers adapted to engage the fingers on thefirst-named annular tumbler, to rotate the latter, each of said tumblershaving a peripheral notch adapted to receive the adjacent projection;and-'a rotatable operating element connected to said disk tumbler; l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWosubscribing Witnesses.

Witnesses:

W. MYERSON, W. FARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. U.

,"BUELL s. BURNETT. I

V annular tumblers and provided With a pair

